Are 21st-Century Teens Learning How to Talk on the Phone?

Texts

Believe it or not people, teens STILL KNOW HOW TO USE THE PHONE. Just because they have other means of communication that they may use more often doesn't mean they don't know how to talk on the phone. This honestly has to be one of the most stupid questions I've ever seen on SodaHead.

Bottom line .. they STINK!
(seriously ... the skills of politeness, courtesy .. actually speaking correctly is a lost artform)

It's not a foreign thing. I, and I think a lot of people my age, just don't like it.

I certainly hope so, it amazes me how some kids today just sit there and text or facebook thier friends. I just don't get it, they could be talking on the phone, or better yet, see them face to face. How do you know what the other person is REALLY saying unless you hear their voice or see their expressions or body language; you don't get that with technology.

I enjoy talking to people on my phone, texting annoys me.

i take a call all the time

No, they have difficulty carrying on a conversation on the phone. I talk to my grandaughter on the phone and she can't keep up and she's 14. She would rather text me but I don't like her spelling or grammer because I think it promotes bad spelling habits. We're in trouble in this country. The Japanese are soon to be going through some trouble and they've been texting longer than us. Let's observe.

That's your granddaughter. Doesn't mean it applies to most other teens.

True! I pray I'm wrong.

thats stupid thats like asking if teens know how to talk to someone in person

I'm not that dumb >:(

anyone is capable of it, personally I wont answer the call if I don't recognize the area code because it would charge extra if it is not my area code.

i hate texting :]

But I will admit, I'm better at texting

I'm 16 and I'm fine at answering the phone, friends seem fine at it as well.

I'm a teenager and I take calls all the time, most will if possible, maybe they just find it easier to text? or that they get unlimited texts on the cheaper tariffs they can afford?

Some can, some can't. I don't like talking on the phone simply because I am a shy person, but I can. Basically I think these concerns about young people's interpersonal communication abilities are overrated. They are learning the NEW ways to communicate which will be used in the future, and the old ways will never be completely forgotten. When the telephone was invented people didn't forget how to talk to each other in person, did they?

I wouldn't say my friends and peers are incapable of speaking on the phone, but all of them prefer texting or twitter to actually talking on the phone.

Um, I'm pretty sure we're not "learning" how to talk on the phone, as we already knew how to do so. But besides this, yes. We ARE capable of talking on phones. In fact, a lot of us do so quite often. I, for example, prefer talking on the phone to texting. I hardly even text at all.

IM a teen and if people call me i like to mess with them :)

How can they -- define rude and etiquette, then take a poll among them. It is a sad regression to watch.

Judging by your comment, you are not a teen and are therefore not able to accurately judge this. So please take your prejudice elsewhere.

Pack your snottiness in, girly.

Like she said, ELSEWHERE.

What are you doing? Nothing, what are you doing? Nothing.

Yes We can!

I don't know about anyone else, but I can.....

I always call my friends and i have unlimited texts

I have a limited texting plan but unlimited calling after 7pm. I call my friends way more than text them.

idk

Crap, I meant to put yes. I answer phones at my job, so answering people in a respectful and appropriate manner isn't hard for me.

Yes of course they are able to speak but speaking polite, respectful, and correctly isn't always the case. Of course not too many people care about that sort of thing nowadays anyways.

Judging by your comment, you are not a teen and are therefore not able to accurately judge this. So please take your prejudice elsewhere.

Judging by your comment you have no clue what your talking about. It wasn't that long ago that I was a teen so I feel I can judge quite accurately in fact.. It is not prejudice it is my observation and opinion. If you read my comment correctly you would notice that I said it wasn't always the case, not that every single teen doesn't speak that way. I know there are teens with respect, but it is a lot harder to find then today than 30-40 years ago. You are a teen and the fact that you automatically assumed 1) that I wasn't in a position to accurately judge and 2) that I was prejudice is a great example of what I was talking about. Instead of getting the facts and engaging in a educated discussion you jumped the gun and tried to get your "two cents in". So please prove me wrong on teenagers ability to be polite and respectful.

Okay, the fact that you answered "no" is the first clue. Then, you implied that teenagers are rarely able to speak politely, respectfully, or correctly. You also said that people don really care about things like that nowadays, which they clearly DO. Also, you say that it wasn't that long ago that you were a teenager. So? That's not the same as actually being a teenager today. You have an "adult outlook" on things now. Meaning that you generally see teenagers as being rude, as you basically said outright before. And, as a matter of fact, a teacher at my school said something once that completely contradicts what most adults think. He said that people are always saying how much less respectful teenagers are today, which they obviously do. However, he said that he doesn't agree. He said that teenagers today are actually MORE respectful. And he should know, he's been teaching for about 30 years. Besides, if you actually take the time to THINK about it, it's clear that it's true.
Oh, and one more thing. You say that it's harder to find teens with respect than it was 30-40 years ago. How would you know that unless you were that old? And if you ARE that old, then it clearly WAS a long time ago that you were a teenager. Honestly, with all "due respect", you need to get some of your facts straight.

And it is REALLY embarrassing when my friends call my house phone, immediately start talking as if they were cally my cell phone (I don't have one) and then they realize my mom or someone picked up the phone and then they assumed it's the wrong number and they just go "Oh, ok, wrong number, bye." and hang up. They don't even THINK of asking if I live there or if I'm available, just hang up. Mugh, I hate my friends sometimes..

even though I find it scarier than simply texting, I use the phone often and find it an effective form of communication

Hello?
Phone conquered!

most can